Hearing loss decisions — 2025

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or service connection.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for hypertension as there is no remaining case or controversy. The claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis and anxiety were denied, while the claims for acid reflux and bilateral hearing loss were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for status post bunionectomy and hallux rigidus of the left great toe, and remanded several other claims related to various conditions.

The Board denied increased ratings for PTSD with alcohol use disorder and OSA, but granted service connection for chronic right wrist sprain, GERD secondary to PTSD, right sciatic pain secondary to lumbosacral strain, and recurrent bilateral ear infections.

The Board granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, resolving any doubt in favor of the Veteran. The claim for residuals of a right tympanic membrane perforation was remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for left ear hearing loss and service connection for right ear hearing loss, generalized anxiety disorder, and headaches.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss for an addendum opinion as the previous VA examination was found inadequate.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error and an inadequate VA opinion.

The Board denied service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability and chronic fatigue syndrome, granted service connection for a chronic right wrist sprain, and assigned a 10 percent rating for a left knee scar. The remaining issues were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for dermatitis, residuals of a left lower leg fascial hernia surgery, and residuals of cold injuries affecting the feet and hands. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's knee and hearing loss conditions, granted a 40% rating for lumbar strain from September 6, 2022 to November 28, 2022, and granted 20% ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy effective from September 6, 2022. The Board remanded service connection for scalp folliculitis.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with mild primary arthritis in the facet joints and bilateral tinnitus, but denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and a rating increase for left ear hearing loss. The decision also remanded an issue related to right foot plantar fasciitis.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, traumatic brain injury, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and headaches due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not obtaining relevant treatment records from the Florida Department of Corrections.

The Board granted the petition to reopen a claim for entitlement to service connection for hearing loss based on new and material evidence, but denied the claim for service connection.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of February 27, 2016, for the 20 percent rating assigned for bilateral hearing loss but denied a higher initial rating.

The Board granted entitlement to TDIU from January 23, 2015 to October 16, 2017 based on the aggregate impact of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluding substantially gainful employment. The Board denied service connection for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), finding the evidence persuasively weighs against any relationship to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied a rating greater than 70 percent for PTSD and granted service connection for tinnitus, while denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, pain dysfunction in the right shoulder, and hypertension.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during his active service and have continued since.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as it is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of separation from active duty.

The Veteran withdrew the appeal for all service connection claims and higher initial rating claim, resulting in their dismissal.